A GOLDEN TIME

"Not a thing," said Warriors Coach Don Nelson, who coached that squad as well. "I'm dumber than a rock. I can't remember yesterday. Thirteen years ago, my goodness. I really don't have a clue."

Well, for those whose memories are as short as Nellie's, here's a refresher course.

Shooting guard Latrell Sprewell and rookie power forward Chris Webber gave the Warriors a potent inside-out combination. Chris Mullin was shooting from the perimeter and versatile forward Billy Owens was playing everywhere.

Avery Johnson, taking over for injured point guard Tim Hardaway, was running the show. Nelson was the mastermind orchestrating the production.

Those Warriors won 50 games and reached the playoffs as a No.6 seed - and made the last playoff appearance in franchise history.

"The chemistry was good," Warriors broadcaster Jim Barnett said. "Webber was better than expected. It was a team that could score. It was an exciting team. It was a fun team to be around."

That team was swept by Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs, capped by Charles Barkley's 56-point performance in Game 3 at the Coliseum Arena. But the Warriors, one of the more promising young teams in the league, gave the veteran Suns a good workout. The Warriors never lost by more than seven, including 140-133 in the finale, which was an encouraging cap to an exciting season.

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"What made that team successful was just how young and hungry we were," said Webber, the NBA's rookie of the year that season. "We were just focused as a group on winning, and we had great scorers in Mully, Spree, Tim Hardaway and Billy Owens."

Those Warriors were entertaining. They were athletic and played at a frenetic pace. They finished that season second in scoring (107.9), three-tenths of a point behind Phoenix. Five players averaged in double figures and four averaged 15 points or more (Sprewell, Webber, Mullin, Owens).

Sprewell was a first-team All-NBA selection, a second-team all-defense selection, and an All-Star reserve. He led the NBA in minutes and was fourth in three-pointers (141) behind Dan Majerle, Dennis Scott and Dell Curry.

Another Warriors strength was their bench. Led by guard Keith Jennings, forward Chris Gatling and guard/forward Jeff Grayer, the reserves brought the energy and hustle that supported their fun style of play. Center Victor Alexander and undersized forward Byron Houston gave the Warriors a physical presence.

Despite the mix of personalities, and issues between Webber and Nelson, the chemistry on the court was impressive for such a young team. That cohesiveness, epitomized by the close friendship of Webber and Sprewell, worked to the Warriors' advantage down the stretch. They put together an eight-game winning streak in April, including exhilarating home victories over playoff-bound Portland and Utah.

"As a rookie coming into the league, I remember being in awe of the players on that team," Webber said. "I also remember how loud the arena was and how much fun we had as a team and the atmosphere. One of the best groups that I have been with. I had great veterans on that team, and they took great care of me as a rookie. I don't think I paid for a meal that whole season."

The fun was short-lived. Webber was traded to Washington in November the next season. Nelson exited later, coaching the Warriors to a 14-31 record in 1994-95 before stepping down.

As the Warriors embark on a new beginning, that 1993-94 playoff season seems far behind in the rearview mirror.

"It was quite a long time ago," Mullin, now a Warriors executive, said after a long pause. "I think we were young. I can't remember. We had changed our team a little bit. I can't say I remember too much about it."